Remarkeyble Grace
by Parasol Productions
Summary: **WARNING: This story includes spoilers about both novels involved Hazel Grace Lancaster and Violet Markey are two young adult heroines living in Indiana. If their timeline follows ours, then they should be around the same age. What if they were to meet? Inspired by a close friend and from reading TFIOS and ATBP back to back, this is Remarkeyble Grace.


p data-p-id="38c85e51f792485787e0ec44bb032b6b"Violet took in the air of the warm summer day in Indianapolis, nose wrinkling due to the pollen drifting in from various areas of the park. It was one of Violet's last weeks in the Hoosier state before setting off for UCLA, so she decided to drink in every last bit (though, if you had asked her how she felt about the great state of Indiana a year ago, she would have cursed it and everything in it). She told herself that she was documenting wandering sites for the Germ, but her friends knew that she was growing restless, yearning to settle into the roving and adventurous habits instilled in her by Finch./p  
p data-p-id="1aa592040c0d9fc7d160b182eba57893"Using Finch as an explanation for her wanderings was a little unsound, however, considering Violet found herself roaming the state capital. With every step, she could hear Finch protesting, screaming into her ear: "Nothing ordinary!" That mantra alone should eliminate all of the tourist traps of Indianapolis, right? Apparently not./p  
p data-p-id="70c63a8feaa9323f9b99eb2e61238106"She was actually responding to a fan's request to wander this park with sculptures that served as playgrounds. This was one of many, but what caught her eye about this post was the thumbnail: a picture of the park from above, featuring a giant cartoon skeleton protruding from the ground./p  
p data-p-id="d359662316dbdad9a8e8e8a914441232"Now she was here, standing in front of it. "emFunky Bones/em," she read from a plaque in front. She watched as children scrambled up different appendages and jumped from one to another. Her original gut feeling was officially confirmed:/p  
p data-p-id="25787f50600df5cb1814db5c53f7a7eb""Finch would have loved this," she breathed. She snapped a few pictures with her phone, then pivoted to capture a set that looked like crumbled ruins. As she examined her shots, she noticed a girl with a bit of a balloon-ish head amid the pillars. Violet lowered her phone./p  
p data-p-id="5d999e8e529bb1859f7dadc6bed45cea"There was a girl, alright. Her short hair hung over her face as she dropped down to sit, huffing and clutching on to a little dolly that carried an oxygen tank. Finch was no longer protesting. "emHey, let's go meet this girl,/em" Violet imagined him coax. She knew just as well as he did that about half of what made wandering special was the interesting people. She approached./p  
p data-p-id="b8229903ed08b2a76fcb613be0d54999""Hi," she said, awkwardly, not exactly sure how to initiate conversation now that she was here in front of her./p  
p data-p-id="b42269b6d1d92db9d759869f709ead88""Hi..." the girl responded, looking her up and down quizzically./p  
p data-p-id="451ba249517193bd26d2f78cf0906d78"While Violet swallowed, wondering whether to retreat and leave this girl to have a nice day, imaginary Finch was not nearly so shy. He sat down near the girl and (Violet knew not how this was possible) took the girl's nozzled tube out of her nose and put it into his own, sitting back and smiling as he felt the sensation of air run through. Violet blinked, and suddenly it was only the girl there, tubes in place, staring skeptically at her. "Did you want something?" Oxygen girl asked./p  
p data-p-id="f1926f73f10a4926ebad4a7998a7d400""Sorry, I just spaced out a little," Violet replied, then, taking the initiative from Finch, asked: "Can I try your... thing?" She awkwardly gestured to the area around the girl's nose./p  
p data-p-id="9e1b18791e4f28e8c451133e766ca9ed""Sure. It's a emcannula/em." With this encouragement, Violet sat down near the girl and slipped the tubes over her ears, then into her nostrils. The steady stream tickled; the other girl laughed at her reaction. She then coughed, having laughed too hard, and clutched her abdomen. "Can I have my nubbins back, please?"/p  
p data-p-id="bd384a3367b4833eaf5ff1ac32bc09d0""Oh, yeah, sure, totally," Violet said hastily, then returned the breathing apparatus to its owner. "Sorry if I, like, almost killed you."/p  
p data-p-id="63212625bd2d497c54f3d64b11341e18""It's okay," the girl said after taking in some breaths of air, "It wouldn't be the first time I almost died."/p  
p data-p-id="6be2e5a45bafff2d1296f03e178f9df5"Violet leaned back. "Yeah, I've flirted with death before too. But some of those times were fun, like riding in a homemade roller coaster." Violet quickly apologized for her mistake. "But I've also been through horrible moments of near death. Like REAL near death."/p  
p data-p-id="8bf03cb2b1080c5004cb6df22f5a08fe"The girl didn't say anything; her gaze just searched Violet's face. "You look familiar for some reason."/p  
p data-p-id="a6efa435a1cecf10550d0e1b17ce621e"Violet shrugged. "After Christmas break, my boyfriend at the time and I would drive to strange and unusual places around Indiana: The good, the bad, the strange, the ugly, the beautiful... But we steered clear of Indianapolis, since, sorry, it's not what you would call 'unconventional'. Besides, I would have remembered meeting you along the way. You're a bit strange, but in a good way." emFinch would have loved meeting you./em/p  
p data-p-id="8f4aa87c5d66195a53daf12e632f7cc0"The girl snorted. "You want to see something weird and bizarre? Come to one of my Cancer Support Group Meetings. You get to listen to a guy talk about losing his privates as you eat store bought cookies in the 'literal heart of Jesus'."/p  
p data-p-id="e4795838d4c075f2c0f17f661a3dda7a""Oh gosh, you've got to be joking."/p  
p data-p-id="600eab02821bb9b0b746cd3a5dca2e5f""Nope," the girl said, mouth twisting into a wry, if bittersweet, smile. "Met a pretty great guy that way, though. You and your boyfriend should have come some time. I would invite you two now, but a.) I don't want to put you through that kind of torture and b.) I don't know how thrilled your ex would be."/p  
p data-p-id="502e7859134ffe500254056605fdf932""Oh, we didn't break up. More like he broke up with the universe... 'It's not you, universe, it's me... Psych, it's totally you. Bye!'" Violet laughed softly at this observation crafted in her head but never shared. The puzzled look she got made her clear her throat. "He committed suicide." Violet twisted the fabric of her skirt./p  
p data-p-id="2e0aa8511ff7fdf47a22f09177a44f7b""Oh..." the other girl looked down into her lap. "Actually, same here. Except for my guy, the universe pretty much broke up with him."/p  
p data-p-id="7881d100179152ce40d76635ac879e07""I'm sorry..." An awkward pause lingered before Violet broke the silence. "But yeah, Finch would have loved it. I could see him sitting in that 'heart of Jesus', busting out laughing."/p  
p data-p-id="11fa9a100a3482014e4d445af7c34580""Finch? Also sounds familiar..." The other girl gazed intently at Violet. "Okay, now you're freaking me out. Who are you and when did you implant this information into my brain?"/p  
p data-p-id="27d3796b75fe9781416a5200d59270c9"Violet's eyes widened. "He attended a support group for people who attempted suicides once. Maybe you met him there?" She excitedly unlocked her phone and scrolled through her photo album to get a picture. emIf she knew what I looked like, maybe Finch showed her a picture of me. Maybe he told her about me. Maybe I can hear how much he loved me, one last time./em She found a picture of him standing on top of the highest point in Indiana, a pathetic little hill. She handed the phone over./p  
p data-p-id="8c95197d3d88fd2b2e7b6229193c9fe6""I never went to any group like that. Dying and leaving my parents childless sucks as it is, so why should I hasten it? But I definitely have seen that face." Oxygen girl said, then zoomed in on Finch's head. "You know, my boyfriend also had a set of really pretty bright blue eyes." She returned Violet's phone, turned to her bag, and fished out her own phone. "You said your boyfriend's name was Finch?"/p  
p data-p-id="4de988774ea63af1df582f2df548928e""Theodore Finch," Violet clarified. The other girl found the picture she was looking for and showed it./p  
p data-p-id="e375f312e3f18fecd0f92f4c7a7e81a9""Oh, he's cute!" Violet involuntarily cried. It didn't matter; the other girl was smiling. "And I see what you mean about the eyes. What's his name?"/p  
p data-p-id="ab70d31c39a6cb6fd7e99ed39d0684ec""Gus... er, Augustus." The owner of the phone leaned over and scrolled through more photos./p  
p data-p-id="f734e64dc610163377d4ada7ee524abf""Aw, Gus and... what's your name?"/p  
p data-p-id="2a9dc623d77c47c611f19d8ae4b01124""Hazel," was the reply. Violet set the phone down and Hazel returned it to her bag. "Yours is...?"/p  
p data-p-id="3ea1d0273629aadc53437fc1488523e7""Violet Markey." She gave a bit of an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you."/p  
p data-p-id="2fe246fd5edee45fcde0d5ee3abe0bb1""Yeah..." Hazel smiled, then leaned back. "Theodore Finch... Theodore Finch... Theodore Finch... suicide group..." She scrutinized Violet's face again as she tried to place it. "Theodore... suicide...? You saved him from jumping... off the ledge of a... clock tower? Yeah! That's it! But didn't you used to have bangs?"/p  
p data-p-id="f674ad3332b00fe1adab73a347f2556e"Violet laid down in the grass, covered her face with Hazel's bag, and groaned. "How did that dumb story get all the way to Indianapolis?"/p  
p data-p-id="d61861f8b07d4550f1052cf7bc2a00dc""Hey, I'm sorry. It's just that one of my friends, a total socialite, she showed me this article on this trashy gossip site against my will."/p  
p data-p-id="902e951d83a83ef657c321b375eb7571""emThe Bartlet Dirt/em. Lived up to its name," Violet muttered./p  
p data-p-id="65d498b8fa92f4cdf3ce9d98f2129923""Yeah, I know. My friend was disappointed when it was shut down, but honestly I was emrelieved/em." With a puff of her breath Hazel blew her hair out of her face./p  
p data-p-id="b09093e61b8672f42d3d4b5ef7c4c475""You should know that the article is false," Violet blurted, then debated whether to go on and tell cancer girl that perfectly healthy Violet almost killed herself. After a minute, she decided that she could be honest with Hazel, as long as she did it with tact. "I wasn't the one doing the saving..."/p  
p data-p-id="ebe29e692b1d35bc7abf0433e8ff466a"Hazel raised her eyebrows, then assumed an accepting countenance and slowly nodded. "You know, Augustus kind of saved my life, too. I mean, I wasn't going to end it or anything, but he made my life worth living, even for a little while. If it weren't for him, I would have about memorized this last season of emAmerica's Next Top Model /emby now. I like to think that he gave me a little infinity that I still live in. That's actually why I'm here today; he surprised me with a picnic here once. He loved emFunky Bones/em."/p  
p data-p-id="b2258f79ba96e4efac77b7ca2876ac34"They both looked to the children scrambling over the giant bones. "That's really weird," Violet breathed. "That's actually why I came here. I had this feeling that Finch would love that same sculpture. I kept telling everyone it was for the Germ, but..."/p  
p data-p-id="fe51a1316754247bd5ca2b34117d64da""The Germ?"/p  
p data-p-id="c1e0e98c8abbef1519f3ab84c91c0a19""Germ Magazine. It's a web magazine I run with some people I met in high school. It talks about other things, but a major part is posting places to wander, places like where Finch and I would go. Check it out sometime, if you'd like."/p  
p data-p-id="04519643e7694577ed81e6c5cbbcdfbe""Wow. I never thought I'd have a positive experience meeting an author," Hazel said, her face breaking into a smile. "...It's an inside joke."/p  
p data-p-id="fe98a6221f74d49733a415a460243965""Ah. Sounds pretty interesting."/p  
p data-p-id="8b07544038d7a62b441c487e5e9c802b""That's one way to put it," Hazel said, flicking up her eyebrows to emphasize the comedy. "Gus was with me. I blew up at this awful novelist and Gus just walked me out. He was very supportive and protective of me." Her face clouded over as she lost herself in memories. "His grand romanticism got annoying sometimes, but... he believed in me. He truly loved me. And I truly love him back." Her face screwed up in pain. "Gosh, I miss him. I was the one prepared to die..."/p  
p data-p-id="b19c82af54b632cb71ef41fc4e30103a"Violet gazed for some moments at the kids hopping along the bones. "I see Finch everywhere. Like, everyone has little aspects of him. But I don't think of him as dead. I like to think of him as still wandering, only a greater and more wondrous dimension. I think sometimes he can see me, and I imagine him with me sometimes... I know all this is irrational, since they found his body and all, but... Finch just couldn't be contained by the world. And therefore he couldn't just disappear."/p  
p data-p-id="ca4dbd328f9a602f5ad4c0e1634aa87f""That's funny. Gus kind of believed that," Hazel responded. "Like, our souls are conserved and we live in some way after death. I used to not be so big into the idea of an afterlife, but now I'm not so sure. I mean, Augustus Waters was not dumb. He saw metaphors in everything and he even had a freaking existential thought process about embasketball/em," she sighed. "I like to think of him, how things were. I guess that's why I return to this spot again and again. Though the walk over here is more miserable on my stupid lungs every day."/p  
p data-p-id="5b1c0ac59c299ab7bdfc93abd940f1e0""Do you...?" Violet started, "Do you mind if I write about meeting you for an article in Germ Magazine?"/p  
p data-p-id="766f2078b8259c8d7f125685aea76821"Hazel thought for a moment before replying. "I guess not, but leave my name out. I don't need widespread publicity. I'm content the way I am. Gus would probably love the attention, though." She playfully rolled her eyes./p  
p data-p-id="29e8293c670fce6b09337cbfe8d093f5""That's fine. Could I get a picture with you? I'm not going to post it; I just want it for myself. As a memory of meeting you."/p  
p data-p-id="eb7f774e178259e6395f38c9134f05e6""Sure." With that, Violet extended her arm, leaned closer to Hazel, and took a selfie./p  
p data-p-id="f84ad4b7a4752cdd2dd5972a4cb8333d""Thanks. Maybe you could be a Germ contributor sometime," Violet smiled down at her new friend, getting up and dusting her skirt off./p  
p data-p-id="93cbfc0dbbb94f9e6752b2f1f6e7e92f""No thanks," Hazel protested, putting her hands up. "I only read; I don't write."/p  
p data-p-id="615d1695e12a8f309c52b5c856fd383d""Ah. Maybe an editor, then."/p  
p data-p-id="b13ab12bdfba504ef851b9c1ce708062"Hazel smiled. "Maybe."/p  
p data-p-id="ae91d59a111de38f995b51143c3170b1""Well, I'll leave you with Gus. At least that way I know you're in good hands."/p  
p data-p-id="fc0fca662d1ab1c303e6996220eae733"Hazel smile expanded into a grin. "Thanks. And I'll leave you to your wanderings. Oh, that sculpture behind me, the pillars and stuff you were taking pictures of? It was originally supposed to look like ancient ruins, but no one cared for the sculpture, so it became emactual/em ruins. I have a feeling Finch would have liked that one."/p  
p data-p-id="a550d3d659265e9206f7e94949a733e5""Thanks," Violet beamed. "I'm sure he will."/p  
p data-p-id="71041ee158fd14de90c42c1a655a374b"As Violet ambled to where she had dropped her own belongings, she looked back to Hazel. She imagined Gus, the boy with bright blue eyes and mahogany hair, sitting alongside Hazel, in the same sort of way she had imagined Finch playing with the oxygen tubes. She liked it./p  
p data-p-id="96ba77ff8c795f308160e19b22a3b2c3"She grabbed her backpack and headed to walk amid the ruins, imagining Finch leaning against the columns. They're just two couples, one with visible disabilities, one with invisible ones... But it turns out the divide between isn't so great after all./p 


End file.
